Removable floor tile

ABSTRACT

A floor tile is disclosed which comprises visually contrasting background and inlay portions that are not permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the flooring material during installation. The floor tile comprises a background piece comprising a shaped cavity and an identically shaped inlay which fits inside the shaped cavity. The two pieces are selectively removable from a flooring surface. Alternatively, either the background piece or the inlay piece may be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface, or to a support surface. The present invention also provides a method of manufacturing a decorative floor tile where two identically shaped inlay pieces are cut from two different pieces of tile material. The inlays are removed from the materials, forming cavities. The inlay from the first material is placed within the inlay cavity of the second material, and vice versa. The two pieces are selectively removable from a flooring surface. Alternatively, either the background piece or the inlay piece may be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface, or to a support surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to floor coverings. More particularly, the invention relates to selectively removable floor tiles with interchangeable inlays which produce an aesthetically pleasing pattern.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Decorative floor tiles are well known in the art and may be used as floor covering in commercial environments or residential settings. Such tiles often comprise a solid material with an inlaid cut-out pattern. The inlays may be interchanged with an inlay comprising an identical pattern. These tiles allow for the production of an aesthetically pleasing floor covering.

Examples of prior art floor tiles include Stedman, U.S. Pat. No. 1,595,581, which describes reinforced rubber tiles with a background portion and patterned rubber inlaid portion. The two tile portions are heated to a predetermined temperature so that the rubber pieces are permanently fused. In addition, Sorko-Ram, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,842,921 and 4,851,061, describe a multi-patterned mirror floor covering made of a thermoplastic material. The background and inlay shapes are coated with a reflective material and fused together to form a unitary piece. Schilling et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,109, describes a method of making floor coverings or tiles manufactured from a textile substrate, such as fiber, yarn, thread, sliver, woven or non-woven fabric, upholstery fabric or tufted or piled carpet. A background piece and an inlay piece are permanently fused to a common backing by a thermoplastic resin composition. Jaurengui et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,751, describes floor tiles made from materials such as filaments, spun yarns (polyester, polyolefin, polylactic acid or nylon) or fibers. Background and inlay pieces are permanently attached to a polypropylene backing. Zheng, U.S. Pat. No. 7,374,472 describes a method of making decorative stone pieces comprising cutting and removing shapes from the stone. Inlays are affixed with adhesives within cut-out portions and then the entire stone tile is polished.

One drawback to the prior art decorative floor coverings described above is that the units comprise a cutout inlay and a surrounding pattern which are permanently or semi-permanently affixed to each other and/or the floor. The laying of the tiles generally requires affixing the tiles to the flooring material with a permanent or semi-permanent adhesive. The use of these types of adhesives to affix the pieces is time consuming and results in increased manufacturing and installation costs.

In addition, it is often desirable to change the floor tile or inlay, for instance when changing the interior design of a home or retail space. The presently available floor tiles do not permit a user to make changes to or replace the floor tiles with the frequency they might wish. Removing the prior art floor tiles is an extremely labor intensive process. Ceramic tiles are first broken apart with a heavy instrument, such as a sledge-hammer. Vinyl tiles are pried loose from the existing sub-floor with a scraper or other sharp instrument. Current flooring adhesives harden over time and become more difficult to remove, often requiring the use of heat guns or chemical adhesive removers. The sub-floor must then be smoothed and leveled before the new tiles are installed. Installing new floor tiles over an existing tile surface requires coating the tile surface with material to fill any cracks. Adding an additional layer of tiles may also change the height of the floor or damage the floor integrity. Attempts to remove individual inlays or tiles, for instance because of markings or breakage, will often result in additional damage to surrounding tiles. As a result, it is often necessary to replace entire sections of the tiled flooring.

There remains a need, therefore, in the art of decorative flooring for a decorative tile comprising interchangeable inlays and background sections which are selectively removable from each other and/or from the floor surface. Specifically, there is a need for a tile which allows for inlays and/or background pieces that may be easily removed without causing damage to the surrounding tiles. The removable floor tile decreases installation costs because adhesives or other attachment methods are unnecessary. The tiles also allow a user to easily change the design of the floor. The consumer may choose any combination of colors and textures that provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention discloses a decorative floor tile that comprises visually contrasting background and inlay portions. The background and/or inlay portions are not permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the flooring material during installation. The tiles are easily installed on the flooring surface because the use of permanent or semi-permanent adhesives is unnecessary. As a result, the user may easily replace either portion of the tile to provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The removable floor tile decreases installation costs because adhesives or other attachment methods are unnecessary.

In one aspect, the invention comprises a decorative floor tile with a background piece comprising a shaped cavity and an inlay piece comprising an identical shape as the shaped cavity. The inlay piece fits within the cavity to form a continuous upper surface. The two pieces are selectively removable from a flooring surface. Alternatively, either the background piece or the inlay piece may be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface, or to a support surface. The two tile sections may be visually contrasting in that they vary by having a different color, texture, pattern or some other physical quality. The tiles may comprise any well known flooring material, such as textile, stone, ceramic or vinyl.

In an additional aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a decorative floor tile where two identically shaped inlay pieces are cut from two different pieces of tile material. In one aspect, the two materials are visually contrasting in that they vary by having a different color, texture, pattern or some other physical quality. The inlays are removed from the materials, forming cavities. The inlay from the first material is placed within the inlay cavity of the second material, and vice versa. The two pieces are selectively removable from a flooring surface. Alternatively, either the background piece or the inlay piece may be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface, or to a support surface.

The present invention provides for a floor tile with inlays and/or background pieces that may be individually removed without great effort and without damaging the surround tiles. The tiles also allow a user to easily change the design of the floor. The use of such tiles decreases installation costs as no permanent or semi-permanent adhesives are necessary. The consumer may choose any combination of colors and textures that provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a illustrates the cutting of the inlay of a first material;

FIG. 1 b illustrates the cutting of the inlay of a second material;

FIG. 2 a illustrates the removal of the first cut inlay from the first material;

FIG. 2 b illustrates the removal of the second cut inlay from the second material;

FIG. 3 illustrates the assembly of the inlay into the cavity;

FIG. 4 illustrates the completed tile;

FIG. 4 illustrates the completed tile mounted on a backing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1 a, a first inlay 12 is cut from a first material 10 using a cutting process known to one of skill in the art. In one embodiment, first inlay 12 is prepared using a die cutting method. One of skill in the art will readily appreciate that other cutting methods are available, for instance laser cutting. Referring now to FIG. 1 b, a similar process is followed to create a second, identically shaped inlay cutout 16 from a second material 14. First inlay 12 and second inlay 16 are created with a similar cutting apparatus (not shown) so as to create identical patterns to provide a precise fit of the inlay into the resulting cavity (FIGS. 2 a, 2 b and 3, discussed in detail below). In a preferred embodiment, first material 10 and second material 14 are visually contrasting in that they vary by having a different color, texture, pattern or some other observable physical quality. The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b contemplates triangular shaped inlays 12 and 16. It will be appreciated that inlays of any desirable shape or pattern may be created in materials 10 and 14.

First material 10 and second material 14 may comprise any substance appropriate for use as a floor covering. In a preferred embodiment, first material 10 and second material 14 comprise a material appropriate for a moderate to high traffic area commonly found in residential or commercial areas, for instance kitchen or showroom spaces. In addition to this durability, materials 10 and 14 preferably are substances that may be manufactured in pleasing patterns as is appropriate for residential or commercial uses. First material 10 and second material 14 may comprise, for instance, textiles such as cloth, fabric or linen, plastic or rubber, acrylic, linoleum or cork substances. In one embodiment, materials 10 and 14 are waterproof and allow for ease of maintenance and cleaning. In a preferred embodiment, first material 10 and second material 14 comprise a vinyl material. Vinyl flooring has many advantages including ease of installation, lower cost, and the ability to be placed directly on top of certain other flooring materials.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 a and 2 b, first inlay 12 and second inlay 16 are removed from first material 10 and second material 14, respectively, creating a first cavity 18 within first background 22 (FIG. 2 a) and a second cavity 20 within second background 24 (FIG. 2 b). Referring now to FIG. 3, first inlay 12 is inserted into second cavity 20 within second background 24 to create completed tile 26 (FIG. 4). Because a similarly controlled cutting apparatus (not shown) was utilized to create first inlay 12 and second inlay 16, the fit between first inlay 12 and second cavity 20 is precise. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the resulting tile 26 comprises a continuous upper surface where first inlay 12 and second background 24 are visually contrasting. In a preferred embodiment, the thicknesses of first material 10 and second material 14 are identical. However, the thicknesses of these two materials may differ slightly, creating an additional contrasting effect.

Tile 26 may be constructed in any dimension suitable for use as a flooring material. In one embodiment, tile 26 is approximately 10 inches×10 inches square. In an additional embodiment, tile 26 is approximately 18 inches×18 inches square. Although FIG. 4 illustrates a tile with a square configuration, one of skill in the art will recognize that other configurations may be suitable for flooring applications. In an additional embodiment, tile 26 is from about 1/16 inch to about 3/16 inch thick. In a preferred embodiment, tile 26 is approximately ⅛ inch thick. The thickness of tile 26 may be increased due to the use of protective coatings, as described in more detail below.

In another preferred embodiment, both first background material 22 and second background material 24 and first inlay 12 and second inlay 16 are utilized in construction of tile 26. For example, in addition to tile 26 described above, a second tile (not shown) comprising first background 22 and second inlay 16 may be constructed. The process of manufacturing a complete tile 26 creates the materials for the complementary portion of a second tile assembly, thus lowering production costs by minimizing material waste. The inlays and background materials, which are formed in identical shapes and patterns, are interchangeable with one another to construct the final tile pattern.

In one aspect, floor tile 26 may be placed directly on the flooring surface without the use of adhesives or other adhering materials. In an additional embodiment, non-permanent adhesives are used during installation. Movement of tile 26 is prevented by the lateral force exerted by abutting tiles. Optionally, a removable trim (not shown) may be installed at the tile edges to further prevent movement of the tiles. Such removable trims are known to those of skill in the art. In one embodiment, tile 26 may be constructed with interlocking or snapping edges (not shown) to prevent movement in the absence of the use of permanent or semi-permanent adhesives. Because no adhesives, or non-permanent adhesives, are used during installation, tile 26 is selectively removable and is easily detached and replaced. As used herein, a selectively removable tile is defined as a tile that is adhered to the flooring material either without the use of an adhesive or with a non-permanent adhesive. Removal of such a tile may be accomplished without the use of heat or chemical solvents and may be lifted from the flooring material without damage to itself or any adjacent tile. In an additional embodiment, second background 24 may be permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the flooring surface using common floor adhesives as are known in the art. Examples of such adhesives include urethane-based adhesives, water-based adhesives, acrylic-based adhesives, latex-based adhesives flooring glue, cement slurry, mortar and grout. A permanently or semi-permanently adhered tile requires the use of heat or chemicals for removal from the flooring material. Removal of such permanently or semi-permanently adhered tiles results in the destruction of the tile and possibly other surrounding tiles. In this embodiment, no permanent or semi-permanent adhesives are used to attach first inlay 12 to the flooring material. The user may easily remove first inlay 12 and replace it with an inlay with a differing design or thickness, while leaving second background 24 in place. In an additional embodiment, first inlay 12 may be permanently or semi-permanently adhered to the flooring surface. In this embodiment, no permanent or semi-permanent adhesives are used to secure second background 24 to the flooring material. As a result, the user may easily replace second background 24 with an alternate background while leaving first inlay 12 in place. The fact that completed tile 26, first inlay 12 and second background 24 may be selectively removable and not permanently affixed to the flooring surface allows the consumer to frequently change the appearance of tile 26 and to choose any combination of colors and textures that provide an aesthetically pleasing appearance.

In another embodiment of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 5, second background 24 is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece 28 through the use of adhesives which are well known in the art as described previously. First inlay 12 is selectively removable, as described above, and is placed within second cavity 20 (not shown) to create tile 30. First inlay 12 is not adhered to support piece 28. The user may easily remove first inlay 12 and replace it with an alternate inlay to create an aesthetically pleasing tile 30. In an additional embodiment, first inlay 12 may be permanently or semi-permanently adhered to support piece 28 through the use of adhesives as described above. Second background 24 is then placed around first inlay 12 to complete tile 30. Second background 24 is selectively removable and therefore not affixed to support piece 28. In this embodiment, the user may remove and replace second background 24 to create a different tile. Tile 30 may then be installed in the same manner as a conventional floor tile, such installation including adherence to the flooring material if desired. Despite the fact that tile 30 is affixed to the floor, the user may still change the appearance of tile 30 by altering the component that is not adhered to support piece 28, i.e., by changing either or both of first inlay 12 or second background 24.

In an additional aspect, floor tiles 26 and 30 may be covered with a protective finish or transparent coating to add to the tile design or further protect the tile from damage. Such coatings are well known in the art and may comprise, for example water-base urethane, latex or waxes.

The present invention provides a durable, changeable floor tile appropriate for use in high traffic residential or commercial settings. The user may utilize the tile of the invention to create a unique and aesthetically pleasing flooring designs that are easily altered or replaced. The fact that permanent or semi-permanent adhesives are unnecessary reduces the time and expense involved in installation. In addition, individual tiles may be replaced without damaging adjacent tiles.

Finally, one preferred embodiment of the invention has been described hereinabove and those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that this embodiment may be modified and altered without departing from the central spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the embodiment described hereinabove is to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing descriptions and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced herein. 

1. A floor tile comprising: a background piece comprising a shaped cavity therein; and an inlay piece comprising an identical shape as said shaped cavity, wherein said inlay piece is disposed within said shaped cavity and wherein at least one of said background piece and said inlay piece are selectively removable from a flooring surface.
 2. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface.
 3. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said inlay piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface.
 4. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
 5. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said inlay piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
 6. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece and said inlay piece comprise a vinyl material.
 7. The floor tile of claim 1, wherein said background piece and said inlay piece are visually contrasting.
 8. A method of installation of a multipart floor tile comprising the steps of: selecting a floor tile having ant inlay piece constructed from a first material and a background piece having a cavity into which said inlay piece may be mounted, wherein said inlay piece is identical in shape to said cavity of said background piece; and mounting at least one of said background piece and said inlay piece to a flooring surface and mounting the other of said inlay and background pieces to flooring surface to form a continuous surface, wherein at least one of said inlay and background pieces is selectively removable from said flooring surface.
 9. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface.
 10. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said inlay piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to the flooring surface.
 11. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
 12. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said inlay piece is permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a support piece.
 13. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece and said inlay piece comprise a vinyl material.
 14. The floor tile of claim 8, wherein said background piece and said inlay piece are visually contrasting. 